Fishboy (@yofishboy) is desperate, eccentric, and really wants to be your friend. Led by frontman and songwriter Eric Michener, the band has been steadily releasing music for the past eight years, incorporating a “handle-with-care”, lo-fi approach to each release. Their albums also include artwork drawn by the Michener to accentuate the highly personal nature of his songwriting.

In 2008, Fishboy released their fourth studio effort NOM. Truly a delight, NOM moves through the joy, confusion, and self-doubt that fills the head of anyone who has ever been in a relationship. Standout track, “Cobra Cobra”, is a shy, giggler of a tune. It’s not difficult to stretch the lyrical metaphor to delight the juvenile in you. Hooray for songs about your penis! Maybe I’m off base, but either way, great track.

“Gabe Saucedo Hates My Guts” is another must-listen. Nobody could claim that the members Fishboy didn’t have a crappy time in high school. With lyrics that are both wry and wise, this garage stomper makes you want to draw mustaches on all the mean kids in your old yearbooks.

Fishboy makes a foray into punk on “Accidents.” Chugging guitars mixed with dirty, clever hooks, make for a welcome departure from the delicate, acoustic feel of the majority of the album. Moving between imagery of kites and exploding cars, “Accidents” is an anthem for the self-deprecating champion. The song ends meekly when Michener sings “now on your machine I’m sounding like a jerk/won’t blame if you never talk to me again.”

NOM is a great listen, from start to finish. The precise reason why, even more so than the band’s lo-fi warmth, is the honesty that can be heard in Michener’s voice. Like a good folk record, NOM is a social document of the lives of its creators. If you’re in the mood for a beautifully-framed sepia snapshot into the mind of an eager, eccentric  musician, look no farther than Fishboy.